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Line Life Podcast: Women on the Line, Part 3: Featuring Joanne Ward

May 18, 2023
Retired Crew Chief Joanne Ward shares her memories of working as a line crew helper in the 1970s and recites her poems about life in the trade.

Back in the 1970s, Joanne Ward became interested in non-traditional job roles for women, and she applied for a job as a line crew helper for Seattle City Light, where she later served as a crew chief and crew coordinator. Years after her retirement, she published a poetry book titled, Utility.

During the May 2023 Line Life podcast, which is sponsored by Huskie Tools, she recites some of her poems, including "1978: Affirmative Action," "Utility" and "Cable Terminations."

For Part 3 of the Women on the Line series, she also shares her memories of working as a high-voltage electrician in substation maintenance and construction and offers tips on crew leadership for women who are currently working in the line trade. 

To listen to the episode, click on the link below.

Email us at [email protected] with your comments on this episode and subscribe to the Line Life Podcast on Podbean to be notified when new episodes are available.

Also, be sure to listen to the other episodes in the Women on the Line series:

About the Author

Amy Fischbach | Amy Fischbach, EUO Contributing Editor

Amy Fischbach is the contributing editor for the Electric Utility Operations section of Transmission and Distribution World. She worked for Prism Business Media (now Penton) for eight years, most recently as the managing editor of Club Industry's Fitness Business Pro magazine. She is now working as a freelance writer and editor for B2B magazines. Amy earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan.She serves as the national vice president of the American Society of Business Publication Editors. She can be reached at [email protected].

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